This invention relates to a bearing system for protection of an elastomer mass adapted to be stressed by a force supplying member formed of a material which is harder than the elastomer.
It has been found that when an elastomer mass is compressed against metal, there is a very high stress concentrated in the elastomer near the edges of the interface of the two materials. These stesses are believed to be caused by the relative high coefficient of friction that most elastomers exhibit when they are in contact with a hard surface. This contact in a dynamic application will also cause heat build-up, material degradation, abrasion, cracking and the early failure of the elastomer product.
Lubricating oil will temporarily reduce the coefficient of friction and relieve the lines of extreme stress by spreading the compressive forces over a larger area, but most oils will either attack the surface of the rubber or will be squeezed out and expelled from the interface by the action of compressing the elastomer. The use of lubricating oils is also unacceptable commercially in many applications.
It is an object of this invention to provide a more permanent method of distributing stresses applied to an elastomer mass, and to maintain the integrity of the elastomer at the interface surface and thereby increase its flex life in dynamic applications.